Note: The translations of articles from the Hebrew press are prepared by the Government Press Office as a service to foreign journalists in Israel. They express the views of the authors.
Intelligence Sources: Hamas Members Who Planned Attacks are Serving in the Palestinian Security Forces
(Article by Nadav Shragai, "Ha'aretz", July 3, 1998)
A recently compiled intelligence report submitted to the government lists 21 prominent Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists as currently serving in the Palestinian security forces.
Six of the terrorists played central roles in the suicide bombings in Jerusalem, Ashkelon, and Tel Aviv during February-March 1996, in which some 60 people were killed. Another three of the terrorists appearing on the list served in the past as aides to the wanted terrorist Mohammed Dief. The list also includes four terrorists convicted by the Palestinian Authority (PA) and sentenced to terms of two to 12 years in jail. Instead of serving their sentences, the four were enlisted by the Palestinian security forces.
Israel has already submitted extradition requests to the PA for five of the men on the list. However, the PA refuses to extradite them, just as it turned down 31 other extradition requests.
The six terrorists involved in planning suicide attacks who are now serving in the Palestinian security forces are:
- Adnan al-Gol - senior operations officer in the Hamas, who underwent military training in Syria and Jordan. He prepared the Dizengoff Center bomb, escaped custody in June 1996, surrendered himself to the PA and joined the Palestinian security forces in December 1997. In March 1998 he was detained on suspected links to a grenade factory but returned to serve in the PA forces.
- Kamal Khalifa - helped plan attacks in Jerusalem and Ashkelon, and was later drafted into the Preventive Security Service.
- Yasser Yusef Mustafa Khasin - who took part in the attacks in Jerusalem and Ashkelon, today serves in the "Special Office," a small bureau without defined areas of responsibility which is subordinate to the PA's Preventive Security Service.
- Bassam Issa - among other things, he trained the unit from eastern Jerusalem that helped Hassan Salameh carry out the February-March 1996 attacks. He was drafted to serve in the Preventive Security Service.
- Mahmad Sanwar - involved in preparing suicide attacks at the beginning of 1996, after which he was drafted into the Preventive Security Service.
- Sufian Abu Jadian - took part in the murder of Ilan Sudry and was enlisted by the PA's Military Intelligence.
Abd al-Fatah Sitri, Salaam Abu Maarouf and Abd al-Khader Amar served as deputies of Muhammad Dief and were drafted to serve in the Preventive Security Service. Yusuf Malhi and Osama Abu Taha, involved in lethal attacks against Israelis and both sentenced to 12 years in prison by the Palestinian Authority, were released and now serve in the "Special Office".
The five terrorists whose extradition has been requested by Israel are: Atef Hamadan, Yusuf Malhi, Raid Bashiti (who took part in the murder of two Israeli workmen at a construction site in Ramle), Bassam Issa and Imad Abbas.